The late Father Gabriele Amorth’s book An Exorcist Explains the Demonic: The Antics of Satan and His Army of Fallen Angels is filled with information. While reading it, I found myself highlighting a bunch of passages. There were some pages where I highlighted almost every word. After reading it, I feel inspired to tell people about things I feel hardly anyone knows, but that everyone should know.
1. Superstitions Are Super Dangerous
Throw your rabbit feet away or in a body of water (I’m not sure why, but Father Amorth advises this for disposing of objects that are spiritually unsafe). Stop knocking on wood. And, please refrain from crossing your fingers when you hope something good will happen. How about folding your hands and saying a prayer? If you cross your fingers, say a quick prayer, too.
2. It Is Possible to Be Superstitious When You Think You Are Being Pious
Father Amorth recommends carrying spiritual items around with you as spiritual protection. However, using these objects or doing other pious practices with the attitude that if you do so God will automatically do what you want Him to do is a form of superstition. You should not go around burying the Miraculous Medal all over the place. You must not view your miraculous medal as other people view their lucky horseshoe. And, the whole burying the statue of Saint Joseph upside down in your yard to guarantee that your house is a no-no.
3. We Need People to Pray at Night
Black Masses occur at night because fewer people are praying during those hours, and prayers disrupt these rituals. Therefore, we ought to pray at night more in order to prevent these atrocious rites wherein the Eucharist is profaned on a nude woman who serves as the “altar” and is raped at the end of the Black Mass. It is even more imperative to pray on the nights of Satanic feasts (the nights comprising October 31/November 1, February 1/2, April 30/May 1).
4. Magic is Real
Magic has long been the stuff of fairytales and children’s stories, but there are real wizards and witches who cast spells and serve as a conduit for demonic activity. These individuals can harness powers and cause otherwise unexplainable things to happen. The power they are able to utilize comes from the Devil. Father Amorth reports in his book that more than 90 percent of the cases he took on during his career as an exorcist involved a magic spell.
Magic spells can be cast upon the person who seeks out the wizard or witch or upon an enemy of that person. These spells can affect the subject’s career, relationships, and/or health.
5. You Do Not Have to Be a Satanist to Face the Perils a Satanist Faces
A consecration to Satan is not necessary to be a follower of Satan. If one lives by the principles promoted by Satanism (you can do whatever you want, no one has the right to tell you to do something, and you are your own god), then you put your soul at risk of grave dangers.
6. Satanic Activity Is on the Rise
There has been an increase in demonic activity in recent years, and many exorcists have attributed it an overall decrease in faith. This has placed an increased workload upon exorcists who have a heavy workload as it is.
7. Ouija boards are completely dangerous
While looking at board games at Target one day, I saw a “product” that was most certainly not a game. Target sells ouija boards and markets them as games. Ouija boards are not games; they are ways of conjuring evil spirits. One places oneself at great risk if ouija boards are treated as harmless.
8. The Unborn Are at Risk of Being Afflicted by Demonic Activity
An unborn child can become a victim of demonic activity in several ways. A parent could dedicate their child to the Devil while the child is in utero. A curse or magic spell could be placed upon the unborn child, as well.
9. A Person Can Be Possessed by More Than One Demon
There are, indeed, cases of multiple possessions. In the instances, the demons are driven out in order of their rank with the lowest ranking demon being driven out first followed by the higher ranking ones. As is the case with good angels, demons are organized according to a hierarchy. It is similar to a military organization. This makes the liberation more difficult as the exorcist moves through the process. He faces the stronger demons in the later exorcisms.
10. It Is Often Difficult to Distinguish Between Mental Illness and Demonic Possession
Mental illness and demonic possession often produce similar symptoms. When a person with mental illness experiences delusions or hallucinations, they can believe they are possessed even if they are not. Most exorcists try to rule out mental illness before they seek to carry out an exorcism.
11. Demons Are Terrified of Mary
Father Candido Amantini once asked a demon during an exorcism, “Why are you more afraid when I invoke Mary than when I implore God Himself?” To which the demon replied, “I feel more humiliated by being conquered by a simple creature than by God Himself.”
12. Demons Have a Special Hatred for Saint John Paul II
Father Gabriele Amorth once asked a demon why he hated Pope Saint John Paul II so much, and the demon replied, “Because he has ruined our plans.”
13. Names Have a Particular Significance to Demons
During the rite of exorcism, the exorcist will attempt to get the demon to reveal his name. Sometimes, they refuse or lie because, if the exorcist succeeds in learning the demons name, it gives him additional power over the demon. Furthermore, demons will refuse to say the names of Jesus, Mary, and the Saints.
BONUS: You Should Not Fear Demons
You should be on alert, for “the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for [someone] to devour.” However, demons cannot force you to do anything. Stay close to the Sacraments and strive to continuously grow holy, and the devil will find someone else to torment. Also, in the end, Jesus wins.
You really must take a look at Father Gabriele Amorth’s book An Exorcist Explains the Demonic: The Antics of Satan and His Army of Fallen Angels.